Table 3

Baseline Participant Knee Osteoarthritis Severity Scores by Treatment Group

CharacteristicDextroseSalineExerciseP Value
X-ray Kellgren-Lawrence osteoarthritis severity scorea
 1–2 (mild osteoarthritis)11129.35
 3–4 (moderate to severe osteoarthritis)14914
WOMAC total score (SD) [range]b63.1 (15.0) [34.6–93.1]62.7 (14.3) [34.3–90.8]60.5 (11.3) [35.7–77.0].73
 Pain score (SD) [range]66.8 (14.9) [35.0–95.0]66.7 (16.1) [30.0–95.0]63.2 (13.1) [35.0–90.0].49
 Stiffness score (SD) [range]57.1 (19.9) [25.0–87.5]53.9 (14.2) [25.0–87.5]55.3 (18.0) [12.5–100.0].73
 Function score (SD) [range]65.2 (15.8) [39.7–96.9]67.6 (17.5) [35.3–100.0]61.9 (12.7) [36.8–86.8].36
Knee pain scalecTreated Knee n=43Untreated Knee n=17Treated Knee n=41Untreated Knee n=17Treated Knee n=47Untreated Knee n=15TreatedPValueUntreatedPValue
 Pain frequency score (SD)2.5 (0.9)0.6 (1.1)2.4 (0.9)0.9 (0.9)2.5(0.9)0.7 (1.0).52.69
 Pain severity score (SD)1.8 (0.8)0.5 (1.1)1.7 (0.7)0.6 (0.8)1.7(0.8)0.4 (0.7).42.74
  • WOMAC = Western Ontario McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index.

  • a Kellgren-Lawrence scores range from 1 to 4.

  • b The theoretical range in this study is 0 to 100, with higher values indicating better knee-related quality of life.

  • c The theoretical range of scores for knee pain frequency is 0 to 4 and for knee pain severity is 0 to 5, with higher values indicating worse symptoms.